The University of Texas at Austin Texas Natural Science Center Texas Natural Science Center

Texas Memorial Museum

Exhibits: Hall of Geology and Paleontology

Paleo Lab

The Paleo Lab is a unique working laboratory where visitors are encouraged to interact with and ask questions of a paleontologist or lab intern while seeing first-hand how fossils are properly prepared, catalogued, and studied. Several “touch specimens,” real fossils that may be handled by visitors, are available.

Paleo Lab paleontologists provide identifications of personal fossil finds by appointment. To request an appointment, send an email to Pamela R. Owen at powen@mail.utexas.edu. 

The Paleo Lab is located at the Texas Memorial Museum, the exhibit hall of the Texas Natural Science Center. The Museum is located at 2400 Trinity Street, on The University of Texas at Austin campus, in Austin, Texas. Visitor Info

Current Major Projects:

  • Preparation of 220 million year old (Late Triassic) aetosaur bones from Apache County, Arizona. 
  • Picking and sorting remains of a 160–113 thousand year old (middle-late Pleistocene) cave fauna from Cathedral Cave, White Pine County, Nevada.

Operating Schedule:

The Paleo Lab is staffed during regular Museum hours, including special event days. However, please note that the Paleo Lab will be closed on the following dates:

Saturday, November 21st
Thanksgiving Holiday weekend, November 26th through 29th
Saturday, December 12th
Thursday, December 24th through Sunday, January 3rd

 

Ms. Laura Naski, Paleontology Educator, removing phytosaur bones from a field jacket.
Ms. Laura Naski, Paleontology Educator, removing phytosaur bones from a field jacket.

Dr. Pamela Owen, Senior Paleontology Educator, sorting fossil rodent teeth picked from cave sediments.
Dr. Pamela R. Owen, Senior Paleontology Educator, sorting fossil rodent teeth picked from cave sediments.